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Copperfield and Co. is a quick paced, full length musical based on Dickens' "David Copperfield" following the path of David from his early, troubled childhood through to the tribulations of early adulthood, alongside the villainous path of Uriah Heap.
In the course of this journey through life, we encounter many classic Dickens characters. The bullying, overbearing Murdstones haunt David's early life, in melodramatic fashion, sending him ultimately to their bottle factory. Here, he meets the inimitable Micawber family.
He then passes into the care of the equally eccentric Aunt Betsy and Mr Dick, who dispose of the Murdstones, to everyone's delight. Via Aunt Betsy, he meets his tutor, Mr Wickfield, in whose employ is that infamous, greasy, oily rogue, Uriah. As David moves into adulthood, we see Heap wielding more and more power, before his ultimate demise, and the Micawbers become increasingly involved in the drama.
David, meanwhile, suffers the loss of his wife Dora, through illness, but gains the love of Agnes, Mr Wickfield's daughter.

In his review in the New York Times, Frank Rich said, "This is the kind of musical that sends you out of the theater humming every score other than the one you've just heard . . . of course, derivativeness is nothing new in Broadway musicals that aspire to be pure commercial entertainments. The real problem with Copperfield is that its authors are not good mimics. From the music to the scenery to the cast, everything about this show looks tacky in comparison to its prototypes. And when the writers actually attempt to come up with fresh ideas - well, look out! The show's book manages to miss the human comedy, the tears and even the point of Dickens's novel. This is no longer the story of a boy's hard-won growth to emotional manhood, but a clunky, often incoherently told melodrama in which all the villains literally wear black . . . the title character seems an almost peripheral figure in the proceedings. He's played by two decent singers - one boy, one man - who are nothing if not chips off the same block. The block is made of wood . . . Some of the music is mildly tuneful, after its many fashions, but the lyrics are, at best, unintentionally funny . . . Rob Iscove's choreography departs from the show's norm, in that it seems to have been culled from flops rather than hits . . . it could be argued that Copperfield might be entertaining for young children, whose innocent minds aren't sullied by memories of the superior shows that this one dimly recalls. But it's hard to imagine what parent - short of an evil Dickensian one - would take the family to the ANTA when Annie, Barnum and The Pirates of Penzance are in town."

1 Copperfield peut-être considéré comme un Flop musical

The Broadway production was directed and choreographed by Rob Iscove. It began previews at the ANTA Playhouse on March 25, opened on April 16, and closed on April 26 after 39 performances, including 26 previews.

Acte I
I Don't Want a Boy (Aunt Betsey Trotwood, Peggotty and Ensemble)
Mama, Don't Get Married (Young David, Clara Copperfield and Peggotty)
Copperfield (Young David, Mr. Quinion, Mealy Potatoes, Billy Mowcher, Mick Walker and Ensemble)
Something Will Turn Up (Mr. Micawber, Young David, Creditors and Ensemble)
Anyone (Young David)
Here's a Book (Aunt Betsey Trotwood, Mr. Dick and Young David)
Here's a Book (Reprise) (Betsey Trotwood, Mr. Dick and Adult David)
Umble (Uriah Heep and Mrs. Heep)
The Circle Waltz (Adult David, Dora Spenlow, Agnes Wickfield and Ensemble)

Acte II
Up the Ladder (Uriah Heep and Mr. Micawber)
I Wish He Knew (Agnes Wickfield)
The Lights of London (Adult David, Dora Spenlow and Company)
Umble (Reprise) (Uriah Heep)
Something Will Turn Up (Reprise) (Mr. Micawber and Adult David)
Villainy Is the Matter (Adult David, Uriah Heep, Mr. Micawber, Agnes Wickfield, Aunt Betsey Trotwood, Mr. Dick, Mrs. Heep, Peggotty and Mrs. Micawber)
With the One I Love (Adult David)
Something Will Turn Up (Reprise) (Mr. Micawber and Ensemble)
Anyone (Reprise) (Adult David and Agnes Wickfield)

David Copperfield (Narrator/Adult)
David Copperfield (The Boy)
Mr Murdstone
Mr Micawber
Aunt Betsy
Dora Spenlow
Uriah Heap (Narrator/Adult)
Uriah Heap (The Boy)
Mrs Heap
Mrs Micawber
Mr Dick

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